


for your sake

by jessamoo



Category: Reign (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 19:34:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2479916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessamoo/pseuds/jessamoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>for the prompt "Diane coming back to court for the first time since Bash and Kenna got married"</p>
            </blockquote>





	for your sake

Kenna smooth’s her dress down nervously, her shaking hands fluttering over the fabric even though it is pristine.

She’s standing in front of the mirror in their rooms, and she’s just about ready to change her outfit yet again when Bash moves up behind her, placing two strong hands on her waist.

“You look fine. Wonderful even.” He reassures her, resting his chin on her shoulder a little wearily.

“I don’t want to look fine and wonderful, I want to look…wifely.” She whines, pouting a little, turning to look at her dress again.

Bash sighs loudly and turns her in his arms to face him. She wraps her arms around his neck and peers up at him sadly with big round eyes.

“You have met my mother before.” 

Kenna rolls her eyes. “That’s one way of putting it, yes. But this is the first time she’s back since we’ve been married…do you have any idea how awkward it is going to be, having your ex lover’s other mistress as your daughter in law?”

“well, it is a little complicated yes…” Bash supplies nonchalantly and she hits him gently on the shoulder.

“I’m being serious Bash. This is going to determine whether your mother accepts me for the rest of our lives.” She urges dramatically. “She already hates me for stealing Henry from her, and now I’ve stolen her son too.”

Bash tugs her even closer to him. “She will just have to get over that. My father is dead, it’s all in the past. And besides, you can’t steal something that belongs to you. And I do.” He presses their foreheads together and she gives him a soft smile.

She pulls away soon though, worry still sitting like a weight in her chest. “I’m not sure your mother will see it that way.” She mutters miserably.

“I know she isn’t the easiest of women, but she is my mother. And she does love me. She wants what best for me. With any luck she will see how happy you make me, and that should be all that matters.”

Kenna flops her head down dejectedly on his chest and he smiles into her hair.

 

Diane didn’t even speak to her all that much besides complimenting her gown – though she did it in that patronizing way that meant she most likely didn’t mean it. Instead she did what she always did and watched.

Kenna knew her eyes were trained on them for any changes, anything she could pick up on and use as an excuse to dislike her. She tells herself it is just because she wants what is best for her son, but Kenna has a suspicion that she also wanted something to complain about when it came to her son’s wife.

 

Later, after Kenna and Bash had danced happily and she had forgotten somewhat about the pair of dark eyes forever watching her, she sank down next to Diane whilst Bash talked to his brother across the room. She noticed that he always stayed where he could see them though.

“Bash seems to be enjoying himself.” Diane states imperiously without warning as if it were a given fact that Kenna must be paying attention to her at any given moment.

Kenna sits up imitating Diane’s sharp posture and raises her head a little. “Yes. He has been known to do that.” she quips sarcastically.

Diane side eyes her before carrying on. “It’s nice to see. It used to be that he spent his days getting into trouble and pining after his brothers betrothed.”

Kenna picks up a wine goblet and drinks heavily to avoid saying something she regretted. She knew Diane was bringing up Bash’s past with Mary just to remind her she had not been her first choice, or his for that matter.

“Well those days are in the past now.” Kenna states simply, but her tone is serious. She was not going to argue about this with her.

“So I can see.” Diane sighs then and rolls her eyes. “I’m not going to pretend I was happy about your marriage to Sebastian. After your pathetic attempts to raise yourself up as mistress to the king I didn’t expect very much from you.”

Kenna grips the arm rests of her chair tightly, her knuckles turning white with the effort. She stares resolutely forward, trying to pretend she didn’t care what Diane was saying.  
“However you do seem to have made an impression on him.”

An impression? Kenna scoffs quietly to herself. Bash held her close to him in the night like he couldn’t bare to let her go. He holds her like they were caught in a storm, he whispers to her till she falls asleep and she dreams of his voice. And Diane calls that nothing more than an impression.

“You know being a wife is a serious business.” Diane carries on.

Kenna whirls at her, angry now. “I know that. I probably know it more than you, seen as you spent so long being a mistress yourself. I am a good wife, a loving wife. And you should want that for your son more than anything.” She cries hotly.

Diane quirks an eyebrow but says nothing. Kenna sees a surprised smile on the woman’s face.

 

Bash makes his way over to them after Kenna makes eye contact with him, urging him with wide eyes to come back and rescue her before she did something violent.

“So how are we all?” he asks. He’s trying to be jovial but all three of them know he wants to assess the damage. He stands behind Kenna’s chair, subtly indicating his loyalties in this particular battle.

Before Kenna can reply Diane stands up and takes hold of his hand. She reaches down and pulls Kenna up a little less gently.

To their surprise Diane lays Kenna’s hand on top of Bash’s. But when she speaks she speaks only to him.

“I am glad you have found a match that suits you.” she says and Bash’s whole face lights up as if she’s just declared Kenna her daughter.

Kenna knows this is important to him and that it’s likely the only blessing she was going to get, at least to her face, so she smiles gratefully at her mother in law. Diane looks at her then and gives her a small, silent, imperceptible nod.

“Now I’m sure your young wife is ready for another dance Sebastian.” She says with a smile that’s just a little too wide.

Kenna doesn’t miss the ‘young’ slight, but she says nothing as Bash drags her quickly back to the dance floor.

“I think that went well, don’t you?” he asks, swinging her round and putting an arm round her waist. “Or as well as could be expected. Was she rude to you?” he asks her seriously, probably already knowing the answer.

Kenna smiles brightly and shakes her head. “Nothing I couldn’t handle, for your sake.”

At that he nods gratefully and kisses her cheek as they continue to twirl across the floor together.

Kenna knew the truth in her words. She could endure hell for him, for the touch of his hand on the small of her back as they danced.


End file.
